Flat bed web printing press



y 1934- E. LA BOMBARD ET AL 61,002 FLAT BED WEB PRINTING PRESS Filed March 11. 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet l Q'ffo 7 7163 y 1934- L. E. LA BOMBARD ET AL 61,002

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FLAT BED WEB PRINTING PRESS Filed March 11, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ma w/v bf 5/0550 MAM M%io We y 29, L. E. LA BOMBARD ET AL 1,961,002

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Patented May 29, 1934 FLAT BED WEB PRINTING PRESS Leon E. La Bombard, Waltham, and Melvin H. Sidebctham, West Newton, Mass., assignors to Specialty Automatic Machine 00., Chelsea, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 11, 1931, Serial No. 521,652

5 Claims.

sist for the most part of step-by-step progressive mechanisms, such as pawls and ratchets. Such mechanisms, While quite efiicient at low speeds, are not sufficiently positive to be employed in high speed automatic printing machines. Furthermore, such mechanisms actuate the driven element at one speed during its operation, which requires that the inertia of the parts which are stationary for awhile must be immediately overcome by the member which causes their next movements. This condition also exists at the end of the movement when the parts must be brought to a stop at a predetermined point. Mechanisms which operate under these conditions necessarily sustain heavy loads due to excessive friction which causes excessive wear and frequent breakdowns. Furthermore, the feeding of a web of paper under such conditions is impractical at high speeds, due to the inaccuracy of proper register. Therefore, a particular object of our invention is to provide a printing press with mechanisms of the kind hereinafter described that willinitiate movement of the moving parts slowly and accelerate them until they attain their maximum speed, at which speed they are maintained for a predetermined length of time and are then retarded. until they come to rest for a similar predetermined period. One of these mechanisms drives the printing unit, another the inking unit, and still another the paper feeding unit. These movements are accomplished by mechanisms in which the parts'are always in operative relation, and are entirely positive in thei actions during each complete cycle of operation of the press. The mechanisms referred to are driven from a source of power common to all, and are therefore constantly synchronized.

Another object of our invention is to provide a printing press of the fiat bed type which includes means for imparting intermittent movements to the various elements, with mechanisms which, because of their structure and operation,

will permit the attainment of much higher speeds of all primary elements of the press.

Another object of our invention is to provide mechanism for driving the elements of a printing press in constantly maintained synchronism between said elements, and at the same time allow for adjustment of the speed of those elements that it is necessary to vary.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved simple and efficient inking mechanism for the printing element.

Another object of our invention is to provide for the quick removal of rolls, plates, and other parts that are used for supplying and distributing the ink, whenever the cleaning of such parts 1s necessary.

With the hereinbefore mentioned objects in View, and others hereinafter explained, the invention consists in the construction and combinations of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a left side elevation of our improved printing press.

Figure 2 is a right side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 represents a cross section on line 3-3 of Figure 1, on a larger scale, and partly broken ou Figure 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Figure l, on a larger scale.

Figure 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3, on a larger scale.

Figure 6 represents a section on line 6-6 of Figure 3. V

Figure '7 is a detail elevation of some of the parts hereinafter described.

Figure 8 is a sectional plan view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 represents a section on line 9-9 of Figure 5, on a larger scale.

Figure 10 represents a section on line 10-10 of Figure 6.

- Figure 11 is a sectional plane view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a sectional plan View taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 6.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of one of the links of the chains which carry the inking rolls.

Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional View of one of the inking rolls.

Figure 15 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of Figure 6.

Figure 16 is a partial plan view of the-bed of the machine.

Figure 17 represents a section on the line 17-17 of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 18-18 of Figure 3.

Figure 19 is an expanded view, in perspective, of the mounting of the ink distributing plate.

Figure 20 represents a section on line 20-20 of Figure 4.

Figure 21 is a detail elevation, broken out, of the chain box.

Figure 22 represents a section on line 22--22 of Figure 21.

Figure 23 represents a section on line 23-23 of Figure 1, on a larger scale.

Figure 24 is an elevation looking from the left of Figure 23.

Figure 25 is a detail view looking from the right of Figure 23.

Figure 26 is a detail sectional view on the line 2626 of Figure 23.

Figure 27 is a detail sectional view on the line 2727 of Figure 23.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts or features in all of the views.

Mounted on a suitable base 21 are side frame members 22, 23, 24, 25 for supporting the different mechanisms hereinafter described. The two side members 22 support a roll of paper 26 from which the web P is drawn by the take off rolls 247. Said side frame members also support the tensioning mechanism 27 similar to the mechanism described in Letters Patent No. 1,727,208, issued September 3, 1929 to us.

The right-hand side frame member 23 carries bearings 28 (Fig. 2) in which is journalled the shaft 29, said shaft having a friction clutch 36 by means of which rotation is transmitted to the said shaft from another portion of the clutch that is affixed to the sprocket 31. Said sprocket is connected by means of chain 32 to a sprocket 33 of the shaft of a motor 34. The operation of this clutch to start or stop the press is controlled by a hand lever 35 (Fig. 1) through suitable linkage to a rock shaft 36 extending transversely of the machine. On the end of the rock shaft 36 adjacent to the clutch 30 is fixed a forked lever 37, the forked portion of which fits over the usual pins of the sliding member of the clutch 36. Movement of the lever 35 therefore causes the clutch members to be engaged so that the shaft 29 is driven.

To facilitate an understanding of the press, a preliminary description, or outline, thereof will now be given.

When the press is started, the web of paper to be printed is first unwound from the roll 26 by the rolls 247 in order to supply said web freely to the printing mechanism. The web so freed from the roll 26 is drawn or fed at varying speeds of travel by rolls operated by special gearing at the other end of the press. While said varying feed of the web is being effected, the printing head 84 (Fig. 6) which is in the casing 56 (Figs. 2 and 3) and which carries the type matter, is in its uppermost position and at rest. Said printing head is operated at intermittently and alternately varied. speed of movement by gearing mechanism including the gear 69, in said casing. As soon as the printing head comes to rest in its raised position, one of the three sets of inking rolls 165 (Fig. 6) passes under the type while the other two sets are receiving a fresh supply of ink and distributing it.

Figure 6 illustrates the head 84 in its upper position at rest, and the three sets of inking rolls 105 all in the position where they are travelling at their highest speed, and said head remains in its upper position while a set of the rolls 105 completes travel under it. Then the speed of travel of the inking rolls slows down, under the control of gearing including the gears 75, 78, and shaft 79 (Figs. 3 and 5).

The important features of the press are the mechanisms which vary the speed of travel of the web, the speed of movement of the vertically moving printing head, and the speed of movement of the inking rolls, in order to attain high speed of operation of the press without causing any sudden starts of operation.

The detailed description of the entire press will now be given.

On one end of the shaft 29 is fixed a sprocket 38 (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) which is connected by a chain 39 to a sprocket 40 of the shaft 41. The bearings for the shafts 29 and 41 at one end are in a housing 42 which also serves to cover the sprockets 33 and 40 and chain 39. This housing is fixed to the side frame member 22.

Resting on and slidable along the top of the side frame members 23 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) are side plates 43 and 44 of the printing unit. These plates are rigidly united by the overhead bridging member 45 and printing bed or platen 46. On the sides of the frame members 23 are fixed guide bars 47 the upper edge of each of these bars extending upwardly above the side frame members 23, thus forming with the tops of the latter a track along which this entire unit may be moved to any desired position. This movement is accomplished by rotating the shaft 48 which has gear teeth out on both ends thereof which teeth mesh with cooperating rack teeth out on the upper surfaces of the guide bars 47. When the position it is clamped by means of a screw 49 (Figs. 3 and 6) threaded into the side plate 43 and the end of which abuts a bell crank lever 50. This lever 56 is pivoted at 51 in a bracket 52 and its horizontal arm extends under and inwardly projecting ledge on the left side frame 23. Actuation of the screw 49 inwardly by means of its knob clamps the said ledge between the horizontal arm of the bell crank lever and the bottom surface of the side plate 43.

Slidable on and keyed to the shaft 41 (Figs. 3 and 5) is a mitre pinion 53 in mesh with a mitre gear 54 on the shaft 55. The shaft 55 is journalled in a gear box cover 56 and extends through to the outside of said box and has mounted thereon a sprocket 57. The shaft 55 has also keyed to it a double sprocket 53 that is connected by a chain 59 to a double sprocket 60 keyed on the shaft 61, which is journalled in the side plate 44 and gear box cover 56. A driving gear 62 is mounted eccentrically on the shaft 61. Also mounted eccentric-ally on the shaft 61 is an eccentric 63 which is concentric with the gear 62. Said gear 62 and the eccentric 63 are held in this relation by a bolt 64 which passes through the driving gear 62 and eccentric 63 and is threaded into the double sprocket 60. An eccentric strap 65 is rotatably mounted on the eccentric 63 and at its extremity has rotatably mounted thereon an intermediate gear 66 by means of a bolt 67 that is threaded into the rock-lever 66, the latter being fixed to the driven gear 69. This driven gear 69 and the lever 68 are keyed to the crank shaft 70 which, through mechanism to be described in detail, actuates the printing head 34.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows:The shaft 61 being rotated in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 moves the printing press crank-shaft 70 intermittently in the same direction. The velocity of this crankprinting unit is located in the correct 1". has

shaft is accelerated from rest (which takes place for approximately 78 of the revolution of shaft 61) to maximum and is retarded to rest during one revolution of the shaft 61. Gne revolution of the shaft 61 causes the printing press crankshaft 70 to complete one revolution and one rest period.

A similar mechanism composed of a driving gear '71, eccentric 72, bolt 73, eccenric strap l -i, intermediate gear 75, bolt 76, rock lever '77, driven gear '78, and chain drive shaft '79, imparts an intermittent rotation to the chain drive shaft '79 identical with the described intermittent motion imparted to the printing press crank-shaft '70. However, these two motions are 189 out of time with each other so that when the printing press crank-shaft 7c is rotating at its maximum speed of 78 the chain drive shaft '79 is stationary for 78 and vice versa. The operation of these intermittent driving means is described more in de tail in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,393,219 issued Oct. ll, 1921 to George I. Hohl. In each instance a complete revolution is imparted to the crankshaft to or the present invention and to the chain-drive shaft 79.

It will now be understood that we have provided a web printing press in which the travel of the web, the movement of the printing head, and the movements of the inking rolls, all st rt from zero or near it, then increase to highest speed, and the. slow down again, thereby attaining high speed of complete operation of the press without any sudden starts of operation that would cause strain on, or undue wear of, the mechanism.

The crank-shaft T extends across the printing machine and is journalled in bearings so (Figs. 3 and 6) suspended from the bridging member and is provided with two crank portions 81 (Fig. 3). Rods 82 connect the crank portions 81 with pins 83 which are mounted in the printing head 84. Upwardly extending arms S project from the printing head 84 and are provided with V shaped ribs 86 (Figs. and 11) that slide in V shaped grooves 87 of guide blocks 83. Said guide blocks are secured by means of bolts to inwardly projecting ribs 89 on the side plates 43 and i4. Adjustment of said guide blocks 83 is effected screws 9%. A complete revolution crankshaft '78 moves the entire head down and up once where it remains while the driving mechis imparting no rotation to the crank shaft '79.

011 the forward. end of the printing head 84 (Fig. 6) is rigidly mounted a fixed cleat 91 which cooperates with a pivoted cieat 92 for holding the type chase C rigid to the printing head 84 which is provided with a concave groove along its rear end which receives a cooperating convex ridge along the inside surface of the cleat 92, the combined groove and ridge fcrmin a pivot for the cleat 92 to enable it to clamp the type chase applying pressure to said cleat above its pivot. Bosses 93 (Figs. 6 and 12) integral with the printing head as have vertical portions to which plates .94 are attached by screws, said plates forming guideways between the tops of the bosses 93 and the under surfaces or" the plates 94 for the wedge blocks 95. A screw 96 with right and left hand threads there on is threaded through the wedge blocks and extends out through the side of the machine, and is provided with. a knob 97 for rotating it. Bearings 98 are also mounted on the bosses 93 and have slide rods 99 passing therethrough one end of each rod 99 abutting against ain drive shaft '29 extends transver l ting press and has its hearings in the as and ie. Mounted on this are i, and alinernent with the latter 3 and d) on member and io er sprockets 1613 re-- on the side plates 43 and 44.

re g ooved blocks 1-92 a bridging Two nng roll chains 104 pass over the sproclze grooved blocks 1G2, and idler sproclr carried by chains 1:14 are chain 1% is provided 1g its leng" at three p '2 with two or more links 10$ which are suhstitutcd for the standard links. Pass ng through a slot 16'! (Fig. 14) in each of thes links is a rod 108 each of which extends transversely of the machine, thus uniting ball bearings 199 are and their outer race which are in turn to sleeves 111 on which are mounted rubber or composition type-inking rolls 1%. The

113 d through the 1G8 and in its end. The other end is hooked around a pin which 115 and The links outside surfaces with 1 o Hi the spring is rigidly mounted. across a thirchle throng slots 116 in the rod 108. 1% provided on icir recesses 11?, 13) adjacent to the ends of their slots 10?. The inner ends oi: thimbles 115 are held in the recesses 11. by spri gs 112 thus forming a connection between the chains 1% and rolls 1G5 wherehy ti e rolls can be readily disconnected in the 5 1m.-

pulling the thinibles out until their ends have become disengaged from recesses 117, whereupon the roll it can be lifted from the chain. This structure enables each roll to be quickly released, and a new one to be positively locked in its place.

The grooved blocks 102 are secured to the over-- head bridge iy bolts that are located in the slots 11% in the 119 (l s. 1,3,and 5) so by raising the grooved iaoclrs the chains be tightened as necessary.

Vertically adjustable tracks 12% (Figs. 15) are provided to maintain the rolls 1% against the type as rolls pass under the printing head during their type inking operation. One of these tacks may be hinged as shown to facilitate threading of the paper through the maine.

may

Upon completion of each rotation of the shaft uplifted 1 complete stop at a point beyond the printing 1;

eration to be maintained without liability of the inking rolls melting as they sometimes do in hot weather. This advantage is due to the provision of the three sets of inking rolls 165 each of which, while in contact with the type form, travels but a very short distance relatively to its total distance of travel.

The bed 46 of the printing machine is bolted to the side plates 43 and 44 and has upwardly extending portion (Fig. 17) located directly under the printing head. This upwardly extending p0r-= tion has a frame 121 surrounding it (Fig. 16) in which frame is mounted a roll 122 to which is secured the usual pad or paper 123 or other resilient material that backs up the web of paper during the printing operation. This pad 123 is maintained taut across the top of the bed 46 by means of a pawl on the frame 12 that cooperates with a ratchet fixed to the roll 122. The other end of the pad is fixed to the opposite side of the frame 121. This frame fits over the bed quite tightly and is lifted ed by means of a rod 124 (Fig. 3) having a handle by which it may be pushed inwardly against the pressure of a spring 125. Said rod is connected to a bell crank lever 126 the upper end of which is un er the frame 121 so that inward pressure on the handle of the rod will lift the frame 011 he 46. This rovides 10' a quick release of the f ame and its p tper male ready when a new one is necess r The sprocket 57 mounted on the s -aft 5 connected by means of a chain 127 (Figs. 2 to a sprocket 128 on the shaft 129. A pinion 130 (Fig. 5) on this shaft drives the shai" t 131 mounted in brackets 136, 137 (Figs. 1 2) through gear 132. Sprockets 133 (Fig. 6) on the shaft 131 are connected by chains 134 to sprockets 135 which are rotatably mounted on the brackets 136, 137. Said brackets are bolted to the side plates 43, 44. The mountings for the sprockets 135 are adjustable to allow for take-up in the chains 134. Said chains are backed up on the inside by adjustable grooved guideways 133. The chains 134 also carry two sets of ink distributing rolls 139 similar in construction and mounting to the type inking rolls 105.

An idler gear 146 (Fig. 5) is interposed between the gear 132 on the shaft 131 and the gear 141 which is loosely mounted on the inking roll shaft 142. This idler gear is mounted on a bracket 143 which is swiveled on the 131 and clamped by a bolt to the bracket 157. The bracket 143 has a slot through which said bolt passes permitting change of gearing on the shaft 142 to vary the speed or" the inking roll 144. A pawl 145 is pivoted on the inside of the gear 14 and engages a ratchet wheel 146 fixed to the inking roll shaft 142. Said pawl 145 is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 1 16 by means of a springpressed plunger 147 (Fig. 9) which has a ball point that fits in a cup-shaped recess in the pawl 145. Said pawl can be swung out of engagement with the ratchet for manual rotation of the inking roll.

The inking roll shaft 142 is journalled in bearings 143 mounted on a cross bar 149 (Fig. 5) which is rigidly mounted on the brackets 136 and 137 by bolts. Said bearings 148 also serve as ends for an. ink reservoir.

A flexible plate 151 is clamped at its rearward portion to the cross bar 149 and the plate 150 by bolts 152 (Fig. 4) extending through suitable slots in the cross bar 1 19, and through the flexible plate 151 and into the clamping plate 150. The forward portion of this plate 151 extends under the inking roll 144 and is held in close relation with.

the face of said roll by means or" adjusting screws 153 (Fig. 6) The space between the flexible plate 151 and the surface of the roll 144 determines the thickness or" the film of ink which the roll 144 picks up and delivers to the ink distributing rolls 139. Secured to the end of the inking roll shaft 142 opposite the gear 141 is a ratchet wheel 154 (Fig. 7) which cooperates with a pawl 155 on the hand lever 156 to afford means for manually operating the roll 144.

To support the ink-distributing plates 164, 165 in a manner to enable them to be quickly released for cleaning, cross guide bars 157 (Figs. 3, 6, and 18) are adjustably mounted on angle pieces 158 which are fixed to the side plates 43, 4 by screws. The sliding bars 159 have ears 160 that lit over the cross guide bars 157. Strips 161 span the ears 166 and are secured to said cars by means of screws thus forming a guideway on which the bars 159 slide over the guide bars 157.

The upper ears 160 of the sliding bars 159 are provided with extended portions 162 (Fig. 19) that engage under the hook members 163 on the backs of the intermediate distributor plate 164 and the ink-distributing plate 165. The lower ears 160 of the sliding bars 159 that are nearest the fra e side plate 43 are slotted at 166. Lugs 167 on the back of the intermediate distributor plate 164 and the final ink distributing plate t in said slots. Clamping screws 68 (Fig. 3) are threaded into the outside mems of the forks and said clamping screws ex- 6 through the side plate for quick hand oper- The points 0. the clamping screws 168 conical. and engage conical recesses 169 (Fig. in the lugs 167. To attach either of the plates 164 or 165 the hook members 163 on the back of ,1 plates are hooked over the extended portions 162, and the lugs 167 are placed in the slots 166 and clamped in place by the clamping screws 168 entering the conical recesses 169. This firmly secures the plates 164 and 165 to the sliding bars 159. The final ink-distributing plate 165 is held stationary by a suitable screw 170 (Fig. 6) securing the sliding bar 159 to the cross bar 157. Its quick release is efieoted in a manner similar to that of the distributor plate 164.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 6, the ink distributing plates 164, 165 are so positioned relatively to the printing form C, and the three sets of travelling inking rolls 165 are so spaced relatively to each other and to the form C and plates 164, 165, that while one set is inking the form, another set is taking ink from the plate 164, and another set is coactin with the secondary plate 165. In other words, t e three sets or inking rolls are performing different acts at the same time.

Mounted on the inside surfaces of the brackets 136, 137 are plates 171 (Figs. 4 and 20) which serve as supporting m ans for spring-pressed pintles 172 at each end of the rod 173. Bearings 174 (Figs. 4 and 6) are fixed to the back of the ink distributing plate and the rod 173 is mounted in said bearings 174 with a sliding fit. A rod 176 is also mounted on the ink distributing plate 175 in a similar manner. Said rod 176 has no spring-pressed pintles at its ends but said ends are merely turned down to a reduced diameter to fit in the groove 177 of the bearing plates 17].. Thus the plate 175 is slidably mounted on the rods 173, 176 and is quickly detachable by pressing the pintles 172 inwardly on the uppe' rod 171 and lifting the lower rod 176 out of its grooves 177. However, when in position the ink distributing plate is firmly held against rearward movement when the rolls 139 contact with it.

On the end of shaft 131 opposite the gear 132 and outside the bracket 136 is fixed a pinion 178 (Fig. 7), said pinion engaging a gear 179 mounted on a stud shaft 180 which has its bearing in the bracket Also mounted on the shaft 180 is a grooved cam 181. A bearing 122 pr vides a journal the shaft 183 and mounted on bracket 132. To the upper portion of the shaft 183 is fixed an arm 134; having a roll 185 engaging the groove in the earn 181. To the lower portion of this shaft fixed a lever 188 (Fig. 8) one end of which pivotally connected to a rod 197 which is secured at 188 to the plate 175. The opposite end of the lever 186 is pivotally connected to a link 189 which extends inwardiy through the side plate as and at inner end is connected by means of a p n 199 and a bracket 181 to the strip 161. Said strip being fixed to intermediate distrib'it lg plate 16 1 as has been described, it is evident that rotation of the cam will cause the shaft 183 to oscillate thereby reciprocating the ink distributing plate 175 and the intermediate ink distributing plate 164.

The shaft 11 extends through the gear box rearwardly of the machine and has bearing in a chain box 192 (Figs. 2, 21 and 22) which is mounted on the side frames 23 and 2 1. In the rearward end of said shaft 41 is a hole in which the key carrier 193 is inserted. This key carrier has a recess 19a in which is pivoted a springpressed key 195 which extends outwardly through a slot 196 in the shaft ll and into a keyway 197 of the particular sprocket 198 that is selected for the speed desired. Washers 199 are placed between the sprockets 192. As shown in Figure 22 the shaft 41 is driving the middle sprocket 198, and the two othe sprockets are disconnected from the shaft. The key carrier 193 may be moved in or out by the knob on its outer ends and the key will be withdrawn from its illustrated driving connection with the middle sprocket. The level faces on the ends of the key 195 will ride over the washers 199 thereby compressing the spring which normally maintains the key 195, in engagement with one of the keyways 197. Continued movement of the key carrier 193 will allow the key 195 to snap into the next keyway 197 under the pressure of its spring. Thus any one of these three sprockets 198 may be keyed to the shaft 41 at will. The sprockets 198 are connected by chains 20s to sprockets 201 keyed on a shaft 202, it will be seen therefore that the shaft 202 can be driven at any selected one of three speeds.

At an intermediate point of the driven shaft 292 toward the rear of the machine from the chain box 192 power is taken off by means of mitre gears 203, (Figs. 2, 23 and 2 1), the driven member of which is carried by a shaft 2M in a gear box 295 which is bolted to a side frame member 25. In said gear is a similar mechanism to that which drives the crank shaft 79 and the chain drive shaft 79 as hereinbefore described. It is composed of a disc 206 fixed on the shaft 224, driving gear 207, eccentric 208, belt 229, eccentric strap 210, intermediate gear 211, bolt 212, rock lever 213, and driven gear 214. This latter gear 214 is carried by shaft 2l5'which extends transversely of the machine and through the opposite frame member 25 and which shaft has secured to its end a pinion 216, said pinion being in mesh with an idler gear 21'? (Figs. 23 and 25) carried by a lever 213 as indicated at 219. Said lever 218 is pivoted at 220 and locked in place by means of a bolt 221. The idler gear 217 engages a drivengear 2 carried by a paper feed-roller shaft 223. This gearing therefore constitutes a means for varying the speed rotation of the paper feed roller 22 1 ,nd hereby intermittently feeding the Web to varying of advance relatively to the speed of the vertical reciprocation of the printing at. As has been explained, the shaft 292 is constantly driven at Since s id aft 202 drives the paper feed roller 22 1 at intermittent varying speeds by means of the speedany of a selected plurality of speeds.

cr haft just descr ed of the paper web is oterinittent a d varying speed of the other part" of the machine.

sures perfect ration the pi neg g on ied of the t1 vol of operation it e:.. and along predeter web of paper. ed to the two fr e hers a 225 (Figs. 1, and 2'?) having dove ail sl formed thereon throughout g 1. This slide serves as a suspension. means for pressure roll carriages 227 in conjunction with cleats bolted to the carriages 227. Fivoted on pins the carriage 22 are idler roll fra 229 in which are mounted, on "12;"

idler tension rolls 2J1. rearward ends of the idler roll frames 229.

uider the rearward end of the id er 229 is an eccentric portion of supported in the side fr 10S 25 2 also has fixed thereto a 9 r 234 2 23 and 6) engaging a rack 235 which is manually raised 0 lowered by a hand lever The rack 235 is held in engagement with the gear 234 by a c ge 237 which fits around said shaft and thro" which the rack passes. ra at its top by a bracket 238. 1 hand lever s36 therefore rotates the causing the eccentric portion 223a to lift rearward end of the idler roll frames an remove the pressure between the roll 22% th idler rolls 231, thereby manually disconnecting the paper feed stopping paper from feeding. The rotation of the paper feed roll 2-2-1 bein intermittent and adjustable, paper can be fed (when the printing press head 84 is raised) any desired distance depend ng on of the work to be done. A 239(Figs. 2 and 2 1) is provided to co-operate with a drum 2 10 on the feed roll shaft 223 to prevent overrunning of the roller 22 The brake 239 is actuated by eccentric strap 2 11 fitting over an eccentric 242 on the shaft 262, and from which a red 2 13 extends down through the rear end of the brake lever and has a ball on its that lifts one end of the brake lever when the eccentric 2 12 raises the eccentric strap 2 11. eccentric is located on the shaft 292 in such position as to apply the brake at the instant the paper feed roll stops.

A chain 2 14, a portion of which is illustrated in Figure 24, transmits power f2. n the shaft to a variable speed of transmission device 2 15 of standard make to supply power if desired to a paper roll-up device 246 and also to a roll-off device 247 at the forward end of the machine.

shaft Paper perforating units 248 of a known type are driven by the shaft 202 synchronizing their operation with the rest of the machine. Means of known type are also provided at 249 for shearing the edges of the paper.

The positions of the perforating and shearing units are adjustable along the length of the machine by means similar to that used for the printing unit.

The side frames 23 may be as long as necessary to support the number of printing units necessary for multi-colored printing work. The machine is shown broken away in Figs. 1 and 2 and any number of printing stations may intervene between these breaks. However only one is shown on the drawings, as a description of the one unit will suffice for any plurality utilized.

The operation of the printing press is as follows:

The hand lever 35 is operated to throw the clutch 3G in, thereby causing the shaft 29 to rotate. Rotation is thus imparted to the shaft 41 from the shaft 29 by the chain 39. The mitre pinion 53 and gear 54 drive the shaft 55 which in turn drives the shaft 61 in a counter clockwise direction by means of the chain 59. The eccentric 63 moves the intermediate gear 66 up and to the left from its position shown in Figure 5 in an orbit around the gear 69. At the same time the driving gear 62 is rotating eccentrically with the shaft 61 thereby rotating the intermediate gear 66 clockwise on its own axis. This in turn starts to roll around the driven gear 69 in a planetary movement but soon the planetary movement of the gear 66 becomes less than its rotative movement and as a result rotation in a counter clockwise direction is imparted to the driven gear 69 and thence to the crank shaft '70. The movement of the shaft '70 starts slowly and gradually accelerates to its maximum speed which it maintains for approximately 78 of rotation of the shaft 61 and then slows as the intermediate gear 66 is moved down to the right by the eccentric 63, until said gear 66 comes to the end of its stroke at which point it is imparting no motion to the crank-shaft 70.

The chain drive shaft 79 is driven from the shaft 61. in a similar manner with a similar motion, but one-half cycle out of time with the previously described mechanism.

The inking roll 144 rotating in a counter clockwise direction carries ink on its surface into the path of the ink distributing rolls 139 carried by the chains 134. These chains are driven from the shaft 55 through the sprockets 57 and chain 127 to the sprocket 128 on the shaft 129, thence by the pinion 130 to the gear 132 on the shaft 131. Said shaft 131 carries the driving sprockets 133 of the chains 134. The rolls 139 are driven around their path at a constant speed but are so located on their chains 134 that they never come in contact with the type inking rolls 105 on the chain 104. As the rolls 139 roll over the inking roll 144 they pick up ink that is distributed over the surface of the roll 139 by the ink distributor plate 175. Ink is then carried to the ink distributor plate 164 where it is picked up by the type inking rolls 105 and rolled on to the type in chase C after passing over the forward ink distributing plate 165.

As the rotation of the crank-shaft is V a cycle out of time with the chain driving shaft '79 the rollers will pass under and deposit ink on necnooz the type in chase C when the printing head 84 is in raised position and continue on until they are beyond the downward path of said printing head 84, which then descends and prints on the paper under it.

The web of paper is pulled from the supply roll 26 by the paper tensioning means 27 and the pulloff rolls 247 from which it is fed under the printing head 84 and over the printing bed 46. The web of paper continues on and passes through perforating devices 248 and between paper feed roll 224 and spring-pressed idler rolls 231. At the proper time when the printing head 84 is up and the type inking rolls 105 are putting ink on the type in chase C, the paper is fed a predetermined distance depending on the spacing required between impressions. This spacing of impressions is variable by means of the speed adjusting means illustrated in Figure 25.

The web of paper may then be sheared by suitable shearing mechanism indicated at 249, or may be wound on a paper roll-up device 246.

It is to be understood, of course, that while the web of paper is at rest any other operations, such as punching, perforating, numbering, etc., may be performed on it.

Having now described our claim:-

1. In a printing press having a printing form and two oppositely facing ink-distributing plates above it, three sets of inking roll units mounted to travel past said form and plates and spaced to cause one unit to apply ink to the form while the other two units are passing over the two inkdistributing plates, and means for supplying ink to one of said two ink-distributing plates.

2. In a printing press having a printing form and two oppositely facing ink-distributing plates above it, three sets of inking roll units mounted to travel past said form and plates and spaced to cause one unit to apply ink to the form while the other two units are passing over the two inkdistributing plates, and ink-distributing rolls mounted to travel over one of the ink-distributing plates alternately with said inking rolls.

3. In a. machine of the character described, mechanism for feeding a web of paper, said mechanism including constantly intermeshed gearing for intermittently advancing the web,

invention, we

the members of said gearing being relatively cong structed to gradually increase the speed of the web from stationary condition to a maximum speed and then gradually decrease the speed of the web to stationary condition.

4. Mechanism for feeding a web of material,

mechanism consisting of a train of intermeshing gears and a pair of feed rolls, said train of gearing being relatively constructed to gradually increase the speed of the web from stationary condition to a maximum speed and then gradually decrease the speed of the web to stationary condition.

5. A fiat bed web printing press having mechanism for feeding the web and for operating the printing head and the ink distributor, each of said mechanisms including constantly intermeshed gearing for intermittently actuating the web feed and printing head and ink distributor at speeds starting from stationary and gradually increasing and then gradually decreasing to sta- I1.

tionary condition.

LEON E. LA BOMBARD. MELVIN H. SIDEBOTHAM. 

